[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 55 (Monday, April 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2425-S2427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 3222. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct 
a study of alternatives for commemorating interpreting the role of the 
Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of the National Parks, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of myself and 
Senator Boxer to introduce the Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks 
Study Act. This legislation is an important step in preserving the 
legacy of the Army's first all-black infantry and cavalry units and 
their unique role in the creation of our National Park system.
  Established Congressionally by 1869, the Buffalo Soldiers served 
bravely in campaigns both at home and abroad before being stationed at 
the military Presidio in San Francisco and given charge of patrolling 
the National Park system. Although first tasked with taming the 
frontier, these troops also took on the responsibility of preserving 
that wilderness for future generations. Each summer, Buffalo Soldier 
regiments traveled roughly 320 miles from San Francisco to either 
Sequoia or Yosemite National Park, where they patrolled the parks for 
poachers and loggers, built trails, and escorted visitors. They were, 
in essence if not in name, the nation's first park rangers.
  In a time of segregation and adversity, these soldiers served their 
country bravely and the National Parks they worked to establish are 
part of the legacy they leave behind. Unfortunately, this unique aspect 
of their history is neither widely recognized nor remembered. This 
legislation would address that by authorizing a study to determine the 
most appropriate way to memorialize the Buffalo Soldiers. Money 
procured under the act would be used to determine the feasibility of 
establishing a national historic trail along the route traveled by the 
Buffalo Soldiers, scout for properties to add to the National Register 
of Historic Places, and develop educational initiatives and a public 
awareness campaign about the contribution of African-American soldiers 
after the Civil War.
  although the experiences of the Buffalo Soldiers are an important 
piece of our national history, we are in danger of losing their legacy 
to the passage of time unless we take conscious steps to preserve the 
memory. This legislation works to ensure that the contributions of the 
Buffalo Soldiers will be remembered and shared by all. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in their support for this measure.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3222

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Buffalo Soldiers in the 
     National Parks Study Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) In the late 19th century and early 20th century, 
     African-American troops who came to be known as the Buffalo 
     Soldiers served in many critical roles in the western United 
     States, including protecting some of the first National 
     Parks.
       (2) Based at the Presidio in San Francisco, Buffalo 
     Soldiers were assigned to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks 
     where they patrolled the backcountry, built trails, stopped 
     poaching, and otherwise served in the roles later assumed by 
     National Park rangers.
       (3) The public would benefit from having opportunities to 
     learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks 
     and their contributions to the management of National Parks 
     and the legacy of African-Americans in the post-Civil War 
     era.
       (4) As the centennial of the National Park Service in 2016 
     approaches, it is an especially appropriate time to conduct 
     research and increase public awareness of the stewardship 
     role the Buffalo Soldiers played in the early years of the 
     National Parks.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize a 
     study to determine the most effective ways to increase 
     understanding and public awareness of the critical role that 
     the Buffalo Soldiers played in the early years of the 
     National Parks.

     SEC. 3. STUDY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and 
     interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early 
     years of the National Parks.
       (b) Contents of Study.--The study shall include--
       (1) a historical assessment, based on extensive research, 
     of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in National Parks in the 
     years prior to the establishment of the National Park 
     Service;
       (2) an evaluation of the suitability and feasibility of 
     establishing a national historic trail commemorating the 
     route traveled by the Buffalo Soldiers from their post in the 
     Presidio of San Francisco to Sequoia and Yosemite National 
     Parks and to any other National Parks where they may have 
     served;
       (3) the identification of properties that could meet 
     criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic 
     Places or criteria for designation as National Historic 
     Landmarks;
       (4) an evaluation of appropriate ways to enhance historical 
     research, education, interpretation, and public awareness of 
     the story of the Buffalo Soldiers' stewardship role in the 
     National Parks, including ways to link the story to the 
     development of National Parks and the story of African-
     American military service following the Civil War; and
       (5) any other matters that the Secretary of the Interior 
     deems appropriate for this study.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after funds are made 
     available for the study, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate a report containing the study's 
     findings and recommendations.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Crapo, 
        Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Risch, and Mr. Bennet):
  S. 3224. A bill to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to 
improve compensation for workers involved in uranium mining, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

[[Page S2426]]

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments of 2010. The Radiation 
Exposure Compensation Act, known as RECA, was first introduced in this 
body 21 years ago today. Proposed by the Senator from Utah, Orrin 
Hatch, this original legislation was a monumental step in recognizing 
some of the unheralded victims of the Cold-War era.
  As the United States Government built up its Cold-War nuclear arsenal 
during the mid-20th century, many Americans paid the price with their 
health. Some were sickened through exposure to aboveground atomic 
weapons tests. Others were exposed to heavy doses of radiation from 
working in the uranium mining industry. All the while the government 
was slow to implement Federal protections.
  As a result, a generation of Americans who worked in the mines or 
lived near testing sites became sick with serious diseases such as lung 
cancer and kidney disease and many others.
  Much of the U.S. uranium development occurred on the Navajo Nation. 
That is where jobs in the mines and mills drew workers from the 
surrounding rural areas. These workers and much of the country were 
unaware of the dangers of radiation exposure, and this was despite 
reports from the European mining industry indicating that uranium 
mining led to high rates of lung cancer. There should have been a 
warning call, there should have been a wake-up call, but there wasn't.
  In the ensuing years, rates of lung cancer among Navajo Indians went 
from disproportionately low to disproportionately high compared with 
the rest of the U.S. population. This was clearly a result of uranium 
development and related radiation exposure.
  In addition to lung cancer, numerous other illnesses began to emerge 
in the men and women who worked in the uranium mining industry. These 
individuals were not limited to the Navajo Nation. In my home State of 
New Mexico, the Pueblo of Laguna was home to the Nation's largest open 
pit uranium mine. Workers from across the State came to the mines, 
especially from the economically struggling communities of rural New 
Mexico.
  In the late 1970s, my father, Stewart Udall, took up the fight for 
these workers. In 1979, my father filed 32 claims against the 
Department of Energy on behalf of widows of deceased Navajo uranium 
miners. In many ways, this marked the beginning of the fight for 
compensation for all uranium workers.
  I remember working those years with my whole family to collect 
information and push for recognition. It was a family effort to fight 
for justice, and for me it continues to be a family priority.
  Ten years later, the original RECA legislation was introduced in the 
Senate. It passed in 1990, giving a level of restitution to sick miners 
and millers, as well as individuals living downwind of nuclear tests. 
Amendments to RECA have occurred over the ensuing decades, most 
significantly in 2000. That is when the act was expanded to include 
mill workers and ore transporters and expand downwind counties, among 
other things.
  Today, with Senators Jeff Bingaman, Mike Crapo, Mark Udall, Michael 
Bennet, and James Risch, I introduced a piece of legislation that takes 
the next step in addressing the remaining shortfalls of the Radiation 
Exposure Compensation Act. I wish to highlight some of the provisions 
of our bill.
  First, the inclusion of post-1971 uranium miners and workers as 
qualified claimants. While the Federal Government ceased the purchase 
of domestic uranium in 1971, implementation of Federal work safety 
standards was slow and regulation of mines was poor. As a result, 
thousands of miners and millers were never made aware of the dangers of 
the yellow cake they handled on a regular basis.
  In recent surveys, the majority of uranium workers from this period 
reported they did not have showers or wash basins in the mines where 
they worked. They often took contaminated clothing home for laundering, 
unaware of the hazards, and with no other option for cleaning. Many 
also reported that ventilation to prevent unnecessary exposure was not 
provided in their work areas.
  Today, these workers continue to suffer and die from illnesses 
related to radiation exposure. But because their employment dates began 
after 1971, they have no opportunity for compensation. Our bill changes 
that. If the measure passes, individuals working from 1971 until 1990 
will qualify to claim compensation for exposure-related diseases.
  The bill we are introducing today would also expand the geographic 
areas that qualify for downwind compensation to include New Mexico, 
Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Guam. And for the first time, the bill 
recognizes downwind exposure from the original atomic weapons test 
site--the Trinity Site in New Mexico.
  This legislation would raise compensation levels for those exposed as 
a result of aboveground weapons tests. This would make their 
compensation consistent with their counterparts who worked in the mines 
and mills.
  The bill would also facilitate epidemiological research on the 
impacts of uranium development on communities and families of uranium 
workers. It authorizes funding for the National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences to award grants to universities and 
nonprofits to carry out such research. We are seeking to broaden the 
use of affidavits to substantiate employment history and residence in 
an affected downwind area.
  Many who have suffered as a result of Cold-War uranium and weapons 
development did not have the documentation to prove their exposure. 
Often mines and mills did not keep proper documentation of their 
workers, and many communities impacted did not have a tradition of 
keeping birth and marriage certification. The bill would allow 
individuals to combine their time worked in multiple positions to meet 
the work time requirements for compensation in the original RECA 
legislation.
  Finally, this legislation would allow miners to be compensated for 
kidney disease, and it would allow core drillers to join miners, 
millers, and ore transporters on the current list of uranium workers 
who qualify for compensation under the act.
  Uranium and weapons development of the Cold-War era left a gruesome 
legacy in communities of mine workers and downwinders. For more than 
two decades now the United States has tried to compensate in some way 
for the sickness and loss of life. Today, we are taking the next step 
to close this sad chapter in history and to improve the reach of 
compassionate compensation to those Americans who have suffered but 
have not qualified under RECA in its current form.
  In introducing this legislation, I honor all those who continue to 
suffer from deadly illnesses as a result of radiation exposure but 
don't qualify for compensation--especially those workers who began 
employment after 1971 and, thus, do not qualify for RECA.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to recognize these 
individuals and expand RECA to include all who are justified in 
receiving radiation exposure compensation.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Bennett, Mrs. 
        Gillibrand, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. Schumer):
  S. 3227. A bill to authorize the Archivist of the United States to 
make grants to States for the preservation and dissemination of 
historical records; to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the Preserving the 
American Historical Record Act, a bill that I introduced along with 
Senator Levin today. This is a piece of legislation designed to ensure 
the protection of important historical documents housed and preserved 
at the State and local level.
  Put simply, this legislation would require the Archivist of the 
United States to make grants to the States for a number of purposes, 
including protecting historical records, promoting the use of such 
records in new and creative ways, providing education and training to 
those who care for historical records and creating a wide variety of 
access tools of key records maintained by State and local 
organizations. The bill authorizes $50,000,000 a year--a very modest 
sum, all things considered--to be distributed among the States 
according to formulas based on both size and geographical area.

[[Page S2427]]

  We live in a time where there has been a resurgence in interest in 
family history and genealogical research. With the advancement of 
internet research tools, millions of Americans have gone online to 
learn more about their pasts. Indeed, this type of research is among 
the more prominent uses of Internet resources, as evidenced by the 
growth of websites and services like Ancestry.com and Family Search. 
Also, millions of Americans have tuned into hit television shows 
describing the experience and revelation that comes with the discovery 
of one's family history.
  I want to thank Senator Levin for working with me on this 
legislation, as well as our cosponsors Senators Bennett, Schumer, 
Kerry, Shaheen, and Gillibrand.

                          ____________________